For Kelsea Kanoho Hosoda, receiving the American Indian Science and Engineering Society’s (AISES) Blazing Flame Professional Award marks a full-circle moment in her mission to uplift Indigenous students in STEM. The national honor recognizes her decades of work expanding opportunities for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students.
“I’ve been a part of AISES since I was an undergraduate, and they really helped me flourish—from undergrad to graduate school and now in my professional career,” said Hosoda, director of the Native Hawaiian Center of Excellence at the University of awaiʻi at Mānoa’s John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM). “So this award, to me, is more than just recognition from a national organization—it also means a lot for Hawaiʻi.”
At JABSOM, Hosoda leads initiatives that improve Native Hawaiian health through education, research & community engagement, encouraging students to pursue careers in medicine and other health professions.
Bridging communities through mentorship
Hosoda’s involvement with UH Mānoa’s Native Hawaiian Science & Engineering Mentorship Program (NHSEMP) inspired her to co-found the university’s first AISES student chapter with her husband, creating a bridge between local and national Indigenous STEM communities. She later helped revise AISES policies to expand eligibility for scholarships and internships to all Indigenous students.
Related UH News story: Advancing the science of mentorships
Over the past 12 years, Hosoda has mentored more than 100 students—many now working in research and medicine. Through programs such as Kauhale Medical Scholars, she continues to guide pre-med students from Hawaiʻi’s neighbor islands and public schools.
“Being part of AISES taught me to bring my whole self to work,” Hosoda said. “That sense of balance and authenticity is something I try to pass on to my students.”
A proud UH Mānoa alumna, she earned her bachelor’s in biology and Hawaiian language, a master’s in molecular biosciences and bioengineering, and a PhD in communication and information sciences—experiences that deepened her integration of ʻIke Hawaiʻi and STEM.
Hosoda will receive the Blazing Flame Professional Award at the AISES National Conference in Minneapolis this October.
